When you talk with Shiba owners the biggest thing they say to do with your new puppy is to socialize them like crazy. That does not mean just with people it means other experiences that you could encounter throughout the life of your dog. I have started to socialize with people since its easy to get them to come and visit a new puppy!
So far Wrigley has done really well. We had Husbands mother, sister and brother-in-law over first. I did make little treat bags for each person with some cheese and normal treats. I wanted to make sure he has a positive association with people. I didn't even need the treats he just went to everyone and was totally comfortable.
He gave kisses and licked their hands. Then he went to normal Shiba mode and went off doing his own thing. Occasionally he would come over to people and investigate. Of course they would try to play with him and he would allow it for a couple of minutes and then was done.
The biggest issue he has is with people picking him up. At first he may be OK with being held but if you try to have him sit in your lap he will become a wiggle monster and tries his best to get out of your grasp. He may even resort to biting anything he can get a hold of. If you are standing you have a better chance of him relaxing.
Next was a bunch of my friends and their boyfriends over for a Memorial Day party. I was a little nervous since it was so many people, around 14. I played with him a lot before people came so that he would be sleepy.
The first people arrived and he just lay there sleeping. They went over to Wrigley and he just let them pet him. I did have the bags of treats so they gave some to him which I was glad because even if he doesn't mind people now I still really want to treat him so he has the best experience to carry him through his adult life.
People trickled in over the hour and he was pretty much the same throughout. He didn't move when the door bell rang and he also let people pet him. Some of my girlfriends even picked him up and held him and he just hung out acting like the model puppy.
The party turned to food and drinks and Wrigley just slept through all the noise. It was great!! Everyone was commenting on how he was the best puppy. I was just thinking I hope it stays this way. He woke up and played more with people seeming to enjoy it.
Finally we had my parents and sister over for my Birthday. Once again I tried to play with him a lot before people came over so he wouldn't be as rambunctious. This time it wasn't as successful. He actually reacted when the doorbell rang. When I went to get the door he was jumping up on the gate.
My mom went to put something in the dinning room which is also gated off and he went running over to the gate and jumped on it trying to greet her. They both sat on the floor with Wrigley and he was all over them. He was biting at my dads hands and shirt and was so excited. I was trying to correct with "ah-ah" and redirecting his attention to a toy. But he was all about my dad so I finally gave the toy to him and that seemed to help.
My sister made it and he tried to bite her clothes too. Finally he calmed down and went off playing with his toys. We were all sitting on the couch and brought him up. I told them he is not a fan of sitting on the couch and that he always tries to get down. He actually liked climbing over everyone on the couch.
He went to everyone on the couch kissing them but wouldn't really stay still. My sister told me she made her dog into a lap dog and so she would do that with Wrigley. He sat on her lap while she pet him and he did not make an attempt to escape (I still do not have the same success).
Dinner was served and he stayed in the other room just chewing on his bully stick. Which is so nice to have him doing his own thing and not begging for food at the table.
All in all he has done pretty good meeting all the weird people we have thrown at him. Every time he meets someone he is never aggressive which is the main goal I have for him. My next step is to make sure he doesn't play bite people.
That is hard though since people have a tendency to want to play with him with their hands. Doing that makes him especially snippy but he just thinks he is playing with them and then they are like "he likes to bite". Well if you put your hands on him and push him around of course he is going to do that! So maybe my next goal is to teach my guest the appropriate way to play with a puppy.
